New rules for massage parlours to take effect Dec 1, existing open-concept operators given one-year grace period

Open-concept massage parlours will no longer be exempt from licences under the new regulations, the Singapore Police Force said.

A private area set up with curtains drawn in an open-concept massage parlour in a shopping centre in Boon Lay, during a police raid on Jun 4, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)

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SINGAPORE: Open-concept massage parlours will be required to obtain licences, while all massage establishments must display police-issued posters on their shopfronts under new regulations taking effect on Dec 1.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed on Thursday (Nov 5) that the changes, first announced in April, would take effect on Dec 1, with a one-year grace period for existing open-concept operators to transition.

Under the new regulations, open-concept massage parlours will no longer be exempt from licences and must obtain a new Category 3 licence.

“Anyone who wishes to operate an open-concept massage establishment (OME) must apply for a licence and undergo a fit and proper assessment before a licence may be granted,” police said.

“Under this new regime, existing and new open-concept massage establishment operators will need to obtain land use approval from Housing & Development Board (HDB) or Urban Redevelopment Authority depending on whether they operate in HDB or private premises,” Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Existing open-concept massage parlours will have a one-year grace period from Dec 1, 2026, to Nov 30, 2027, to transition to the new regime.

They may continue operating during this period but must obtain a Category 3 licence and the necessary employee approvals by Nov 30, 2027, or cease operations.

Operators must also comply with open-concept massage establishment requirements.

Customers and members of the public must have an unobstructed view of massage services being provided at all times, from both inside and outside the premises.

The premises must not contain rooms, partitions, cubicles, curtains or other features that would allow massage services to be provided in private.

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CHANGES ACROSS ALL MASSAGE PARLOURS

Meanwhile, all massage parlours with Category 1, 2 and 3 licences must display a police-issued poster containing licence details on their shopfronts.

The poster will also include a website link for members of the public to report breaches to the police.

Existing Category 1 and 2 establishments will be given up to Jan 31, 2027, to comply with this requirement. Failure to display the poster will be an offence.

Category 1 and 2 establishments will also no longer need prior police approval for employee uniforms.

Instead, operators must comply with prescribed standards, including shirts or blouses with sleeves bearing the establishment's name or logo and the employee's name, together with pants that are knee-length or longer.

Any deviation from these uniform requirements must be approved by the police.

All licensed massage establishments, including Category 3 operators, must ensure that their employees are not indecently dressed on the premises.

RISE IN VICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES

The tightening of regulations comes after police observed a rise in vice-related activities and infringements of exemption conditions in open-concept massage parlours, alongside a steady increase in public unhappiness, SPF said in April.

“Since January this year, HDB has taken action on 26 cases involving vice activities across both sold and rental shops. This includes working with sold shop owners to evict errant operators and terminating the tenancy of a rental shop,” Mr Chee wrote.

“Our heartlands are home to families and communities, and we will ensure they remain a safe environment for all. We will continue to work closely with SPF to weed out such undesirable activities from our neighbourhoods.”

Before the changes, massage establishments were grouped into two licence categories.

Category 1 licences were granted to those operating in HDB shophouses, shopping centres and hotels, while Category 2 licences were for shops located away from residential areas, schools and places of worship.

Open-concept massage establishments have been exempt from licensing since 2018, and only have to comply with exemption conditions such as registering with the police and ensuring that there are no rooms, partitions or cubicles in their premises that would allow massage services to be administered in private.

Those convicted of operating a massage establishment without a valid licence may face a fine of up to S$10,000, up to two years' jail or both.

For a second or subsequent conviction, offenders may be fined up to S$20,000, jailed for up to five years, or both.

“The police will conduct regular compliance checks and take enforcement action against operators who breach the regulatory requirements.”

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新加坡警方表示，根据新规，开放式按摩院将不再享有免于颁发许可证的待遇。

2026年6月4日，警方突击搜查位于文礼一家购物中心的开放式按摩店，发现店内一个用帘子隔开的私人区域。（图片：CNA/Raydza Rahman）

这段音频是由人工智能工具生成的。

新加坡：从 12 月 1 日起生效的新规将要求开放式按摩院获得营业执照，同时所有按摩场所都必须在店面张贴警方发布的告示。

新加坡警察部队（SPF）于周四（11月5日）确认，这些于4月首次宣布的改革将于12月1日生效，并给予现有开放式经营者一年的过渡期。

根据新规，开放式按摩院将不再免于许可证要求，必须获得新的 3 类许可证。

警方表示：“任何想要经营开放式按摩场所（OME）的人都必须申请许可证，并在获得许可证之前接受适当性评估。”

国家发展部长徐芳达周四在脸书上发帖称：“根据这项新规定，现有和新的开放式按摩场所经营者需要根据其经营场所是在组屋还是私人场所，向建屋发展局 (HDB) 或市区重建局 (URA) 获得土地使用许可。”

现有的开放式按摩院将从 2026 年 12 月 1 日至 2027 年 11 月 30 日有一年的过渡期，以适应新的规定。

在此期间，他们可以继续运营，但必须在 2027 年 11 月 30 日之前获得 3 类许可证和必要的员工批准，否则必须停止运营。

经营者还必须遵守开放式按摩场所的相关规定。

顾客和公众在任何时候，无论在场所内外，都必须能够毫无遮挡地看到正在提供的按摩服务。

场所内不得设有房间、隔断、小隔间、窗帘或其他任何可能允许在私密空间内提供按摩服务的设施。

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所有按摩院均有变化

同时，所有持有 1 类、2 类和 3 类许可证的按摩院都必须在店面张贴警方签发的包含许可证详细信息的海报。

海报上还将包含一个网站链接，供公众向警方举报违规行为。

现有的第一类和第二类场所将有宽限期至2027年1月31日来遵守此项要求。未张贴海报将构成违法行为。

第一类和第二类场所的员工制服也不再需要事先获得警方批准。

相反，经营者必须遵守规定的标准，包括穿着袖子上印有店名或标志以及员工姓名的衬衫或女式衬衫，以及长度及膝或更长的裤子。

任何偏离这些制服规定的行为都必须得到警方的批准。

所有获得许可的按摩场所，包括 3 类经营者，都必须确保其员工在场所内穿着得体。

与恶习相关的活动增加

新加坡警察部队在四月份表示，警方注意到与卖淫活动相关的案件增多，以及开放式按摩院违反豁免条件​​的情况增多，同时公众的不满情绪也持续上升，因此加强了监管。

“自今年1月以来，建屋发展局已对26起涉及已售和租赁店铺的卖淫活动案件采取了行动。这包括与已售店铺的业主合作驱逐违规经营者，以及终止租赁店铺的租约，”谢先生写道。

“我们的社区是家庭和社区的家园，我们将确保这里始终是所有人的安全环境。我们将继续与新加坡警察部队密切合作，清除社区中此类不良活动。”

改革前，按摩场所分为两类许可证。

第一类许可证颁发给在组屋店屋、购物中心和酒店经营的商家，而第二类许可证颁发给位于远离住宅区、学校和宗教场所的商店。

自 2018 年起，开放式按摩场所已免于颁发许可证，只需遵守豁免条件，例如向警方登记，并确保其场所内没有房间、隔断或隔间，以允许在私密空间内提供按摩服务。

凡被判无有效执照经营按摩场所者，最高可处以 10,000 新元罚款、两年监禁或两者并罚。

对于第二次或后续的定罪，违法者可能被处以最高 20,000 新元的罚款、最高五年的监禁，或两者并罚。

“警方将定期进行合规检查，并对违反监管规定的经营者采取执法行动。”

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